Tony Abbott Quotes

There will be no surprises and no excuses from a Coalition government, Barrie.

Well, Michael, we will be telling the people of Australia in good time before the next election exactly what they can expect from us. No surprises, no excuses. They will be our watch words going into the election and afterwards, should we form a government.

Certainly accountability of government is what people are clamoring for; they want to know that when lawmakers make a promise or a proposal, you can actually accomplish it.

As long as the government's actions are secret, it cannot be held accountable. A government for the people and by the people should be transparent to the people.

We are going to be a government of no surprises and no excuses; a government which keeps its commitments and a government which is straight and candid with the Australian people and that's what we intend to do.

I promised to run the most open and transparent administration in Britain. That is why, with this brutally honest and unprecedented progress report, I am determined to level with Londoners.

Ever since I arrived in Washington in April 2009, I have been fighting for more transparency and accountability in government.

There can be no faith in government if our highest offices are excused from scrutiny - they should be setting the example of transparency.

We should be able to go to our government and get clear answers.

All persons who take part in government are accountable for their actions.

Our government should not make promises we cannot keep. And we must keep the promises we have already made.

Although governments will also benefit from improved access to information, increased transparency will allow people at home and abroad to better observe and critique what governments do and to hold leaders accountable for their decisions. As a result, governments will find it harder to adopt strategies that require secrecy or violate international norms.

The American people deserve to know what's on Trump's tax returns. And Trump must show that he truly embraces accountability and transparency and understands what it means to work on behalf of the public interest.

No government can continue good, but under the control of the people.

Government that is open and honest will always be able to withstand the light of day.

The Australian people expect the Government to govern, they don't expect it to make excuses.

I had always believed government was not a fungus: It could survive in sunshine.

I think it's important for the people to see the government is functioning.

I am committed to making Georgia a model for open and honest government.

The fight for reform comes down to a simple goal: giving our citizens the confidence that government serves the people first and the people only.

Vetting and verifying information is one thing. Having our government sending out conflicting messages to the American people when conflict can be avoided is another.

Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular virtue in that. Democracy isn't a gift. It's a responsibility.

It's my father's legacy. My father's view was that the public is the employer of these government employees and has the right to know what they're up to.

In post-Vietnam, post-Watergate America, skeptical voters demand full disclosure of everything from candidates' finances to their medical records, and spin-savvy accounts of backstage machinations dominate political coverage.

I don't think people maybe think that the government does tell them the truth. I think they expect politicians who are going to tell them one thing and then when they get in office do something else.